January 16, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

GHOST 3D RELEASES RESERECT 3D MODEL IMPORT AND CONVERSION SOLUTIONS

January 16, 2001 -- GHOST 3D, LLC announces today the release of ResErect™, a flexible and unique 3D object conversion and import solution for the top-selling Autodesk software solutions 3ds max and 3D Sutdio VIZ.

ResErect is a set of modifier modules that rapidly transform 3D mesh, patch, or Spline based objects into optimized Splines for reverse engineering, faster editing and surfacing, and better interactivity when modifying the object. In this way ResErect is a one-of-a-kind converter that preserves shape, history and even animation. ResErect also adds definitive import for Hash Animation Master files (*.AV2) as textured patches, or you can use ResErect to reverse engineer or rebuild *.IGES, *.STL*.DXF, *.3DS, or any other object format that 3ds max or 3D Studio VIZ can import.

There is a considerable industry need to manage and reconstruct 3D surfaces and Splines into useable data sets. The software tools found in ResErect were developed as custom tools for high-end modeling and animation production. With ResErect, GHOST 3D has again refined an advanced set of focused tools into an easy-to-use solution for 3D professionals to expand their creative modeling possibilities.

Many professional 3D models degrade and become inefficently constructed throughout ongoing production procedures, different users, editing and construction techniques, as well as data and format conversions. During the development stages of various surface reconstruction tools, GHOST 3D worked with several production studios to define methodologies for rebuilding STL and IGES datasets. Over the years we have learned a great deal about 3D modeling and digitizing techniques, and how it affects the geometry, object, and file data," said Paul Bloemink, Director at GHOST 3D. "We decided to augment the software we were developing by creating special tools targeted toward optimizing geometry and rebuilding inefficient or poorly constructed 3D models."

Edmund Kozin of Digital Dimension (a Hollywood production studio) explains, "a lot of times we receive models from other companies or sources that are very bad: excessive vertices, missing faces, flipped and non-unified normals, etc. Over all, they are just terrible models to work with. As a result, we rebuild them here so that they are native to 3ds max and can be optimized to suit the nature of the animation. For example with the NASCAR on Fox project, Digital Dimension and Fox attempted to obtain the models for the car bodies. We received IGES, STL and even a NURBS model of the Ford, but this NURBS model had so many problems to deal with. Working with GHOST 3D we were able to rapidly rebuild the car bodies, even the NURBS Ford body, using the ResErect and Surf-iT plugin tools for 3ds max. ResErect and the custom tools GHOST 3D developed around it presented us with many time saving solutions to avoid the problems we were encountering, and to help us produce quality 3D models for the animated sequences for Fox."

ResErect enables 3D designers and animators to work with existing models as a framework. Designers and animators can import an object or use any 3ds max or VIZ modeling techniques and tools to create Spline, mesh, or patch based objects. Then, ResErect is used to convert and rebuild them automatically or manually as optimized Spline objects, without loss of history or animation. Spline output can be optimized automatically or manually by using interactive re-building operations to make the object more efficiently designed, more manageable to edit, and so that it uses less memory during model editing procedures and animation. Manual controls incorporate a unique keyboard-driven re-building system: simply press the direction buttons or keyboard shortcuts to rapidly follow the desired path, making Splines flow around the model exactly as you want them.


Additional product and licensing information is available from GHOST 3D’s website at http://www.ghost3d.com.


ABOUT GHOST 3D, LLC

GHOST 3D, LLC is a California based 3D technology developer and production studio. The company is continually innovating 3D concepts and applications, culminating into unique products and productions. Founding members have continued development activities with leading technologies such as those from Autodesk and Discreet, having had prior roles on Autodesk development teams for products such as 3D Studio Max, AutoCAD, and Character Studio. Part of GHOST 3D's team also contributed as design partner for Character Studio (the character animation technology behind the "Dancing Baby" phenomenon). Similarly, GHOST 3D collaborates with a variety of commercial partners to help bring their 3D visions to life.
GHOST 3D develops both custom and commercial software solutions and techniques for industrial 3D productivity applications. Among others, GHOST 3D's products include the world's first fully interactive and integrated 3D digitizing, modeling and animation technology for leading 3D applications. Commercial solutions such as Scribe-iT and Surf-iT are available from GHOST 3D or its global distribution channels.
Additionally, while ever-testing and pushing the envelope of tools and production techniques, GHOST 3D produces impressive 3D content for various design, game, film, and television productions. From the development and marketing of industrial tools and solutions to the generation of creative productions and design, GHOST 3D is immersed in the 3-dimensional digital world.


For information about this press release or its contents:
Press Manager

For information about GHOST 3D and its products and services:
Please visit GHOST 3D on the web at http://www.ghost3d.com.


Trademarks: GHOST 3D, AMIE, GHOST TIME, ResErect, Surf-iT, and Scribe-iT are trademarks of GHOST 3D, LLC. MicroSoft, Fox, and Ford are either registered or pending trademarks of their respective holders. Hash’s Animation Master are trademark of Hash Inc. Autodesk, 3D Studio, 3D Studio MAX, Character Studio, Discreet and VIZ are trademarks, of Autodesk, Inc. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks are used solely for the purpose of identification and belong to their respective holders.